The Teachers Association of Anne Arundel County (TAAAC) and the Parental Alliance for Student Safety (PASS) are disturbed by comments made by Chuck Yocum, candidate for the Board of Education in District 3, in which he
- body shames and refers to women as “b*tch,” “slut,” and “whore,”
- uses the slur “r*tard,” a highly offensive term to describe a person with a disability, and
- disparages educators
Yocum runs a widely-read Facebook page called “The Voice of Reason Network.” It is clear the page belongs to him because, in addition to writing about his race for the Board of Education, he signs his own name to some of the posts.
In his posts, Yocum repeatedly uses demeaning language towards women. On October 24, 2018, he referred to a woman as a “b*tch.” [Rest of post: second, third, and fourth.] On April 5, 2023, he called a woman a “slut.” On March 27, 2020, he called a woman “uber chunk.”
Yocum’s sexist posts have continued since he started running for office. On July 3, he referred to a woman as a “whore.” On April 24, he made fun of people who believed basketball player Caitlin Clark deserved to be paid more. On May 22, he argued that Chiefs Kicker Harrison Butker “pointed out the truth” when he said in a graduation speech that a woman’s most important role is to be a homemaker.
Also shocking is Yocum’s use of the word “r*tard.” This word is deeply offensive to people with disabilities. It is concerning to parents, family members, and anyone who cares for and advocates for children with disabilities that Yocum would throw this slur around so easily as he did on November 16, 2019 and January 28, 2023.
Additionally, Yocum insults and mocks teachers on his page. On August 17, 2022, he posted that teachers should “stop that incessant whining about how hard your job is” and said that if parents and students do not respect teachers, it is the teacher’s own fault. On March 27, he complained that teachers “want more money to do less work.”
This behavior and these views make Yocum unsuitable to be a member of the school board. He could never earn the respect of parents and educators with his disparaging attitudes towards teachers, his sexist language, and his use of slurs to insult others. We would never allow students to openly mock and denigrate others in our schools, and we should not tolerate such behavior in someone running to serve on the Board of Education.
In good conscience, we are speaking out in order to make sure District 3 voters are informed of Yocum’s views before casting their ballots. Let us be clear: these comments were not accidental slip ups. They represent a long history that shows voters exactly who Chuck Yocum is. Do District 3 residents really want to elect someone to our school board who insults teachers, demeans women, and denigrates students with disabilities? His words actively undermine our school district’s values of respect and inclusivity.
This is why we–the educators of TAAAC and the parents and public school advocates of PASS–wholeheartedly endorse Erica McFarland for the District 3 school board seat. McFarland leads with love by building bridges between community members–even those with opposing ideologies–to help us all focus on our shared goal: doing what is best for the students of Anne Arundel County.
